The USS Gerald Ford is the largest warship in the world. It is the first aircraft carrier newly developed by the US Navy in 40 years. Named after the 38th president of the US, it serves as a floating fortress for the US armed forces. On Wednesday, on what was only its second international voyage, it arrived in Oslo and anchored in the fjord near the Norwegian capital.
Many spectators followed the arrival of the 333 meter long ship on land. According to the Norwegian military, the visit is intended to expand military cooperation with the United States. Several joint exercises are scheduled for the next few days.
“It is a clear sign of the security guarantees we have received from NATO and of the close partnership with the US,” Norwegian Defense Minister Bjørn Arild Gram said when the ship arrived. “It’s about the safety of Norway.”
Norway borders Russia for almost 200 kilometers to the north. It is also home to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Since the outbreak of war in Ukraine a year ago, many neighboring countries have felt threatened by the Russian Federation and its autocratic ruler Vladimir Putin. In response to the Kremlin’s imperial power behavior, Finland and Sweden have applied to join NATO. Formerly neutral Finland is now a member of NATO.
A US Navy spokesman said the ship’s visit to Norway will serve to stabilize strategic partnerships in Europe and help “ensure a safe and stable North Atlantic region and the Arctic.” The rest of the world also benefits from this, says Erik J. Eslich, commander of the American Carrier Strike Group 12.
Russia sees it differently. “There are no problems in the region that require a military solution or even external intervention,” said Timur Chekanov, a representative of the Russian embassy in Norway. “Given that Norway admits that Russia poses no direct threat to the country, such threatening gestures make no sense. In fact, they are harmful.”
The nuclear-powered ship is gigantic. With a length of 337 meters and a height of 76 meters, the USS Gerald Ford surpasses all previous warships. The top speed is around 56 kilometers per hour or 30 knots. It features radar-guided anti-aircraft systems, large-caliber naval guns to counter air attacks, and an electromagnetic aircraft catapult used for the first time on ships of this class.
This allows aircraft weighing up to 50 tons to reach a speed of 200 kilometers per hour. The length of the track required for this is less than a hundred meters. The aircraft carrier can accommodate no less than 90 fighter planes and helicopters. The cost of development, construction and testing exceeds $18 billion.
The ship was commissioned in 2017. “American hands and American steel have created a 100,000-ton message to the world,” then-US President Donald Trump said at the ship’s christening. “America’s power is unattainable.” In fact, just over 90,000 tons of steel was needed for the ship. So Trump rounded up generously.
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I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
